Our goal is to employ chemical and biophysical principles to create a safe and effective DNA delivery system for gene therapy: specifically, to synthesize a bifunctional peptide which employs multiple cationic charges to compact DNA through charge neutralization interactions and utilizes serine residues to enhance the water solubility of the DNA-peptide couple once it is formed. Further, the peptide will be coupled to molecules possessing membrane-destabilizing, nuclear localization, or other functional capabilities. We are utilizing the facilities available through the Computer Graphics Lab to predict which molecules will exhibit the most efficient DNA interactions using molecular modeling and visualization on the Silicon Graphics terminals.